Jogging is what I see people in city parks and on trails doing, faster than walking, but slower than running. As far as I can tell, the form seems more like running than walking, but much more restrained, so an average person can do it for a long period of time. Running is what you see people do at tracks, in races, and when they are trying to get somewhere, or away from something, as fast as possible.

...

I keep coming back to this thread because it's hilarious. But this quote above describes me to a "T", so I'm also feeling vaguely insulted that all this time I thought I was a runner but am only a jogger.

dontknowhow

posted: 8/5/2013 at 6:34 PM

So, I've been walking most days for about 50 minutes. I really don't see the point of it, honestly, as it doesn't seem to be doing anything to improve my condition or endurance. I DO stop when I'm at stoplights most days(and also jog across streets), so that might be considered "cheating", and I'm hoping that's not the reason I'm not making progress. To me it seems unlikely, since there are times when I can walk nonstop and it doesn't tire me out or make me breathe any harder.

Anyways, so I decided to try running again. Bad idea, maybe, since I haven't gotten any coaching, but I decided to give it a shot. So, I walk to the track at the local community college, and find out that it's only open to athletes. Well, I wasn't going to let that stop me. So, I set the timer on my cell phone for one minute, and started at it.

I couldn't make it 45 seconds.

So I walked the rest of the way home, started to compose this post, and decided to give it another shot on the street outside. I take off my pants and put on shorts, take my wallet out, set my phone for another minute, and start at it. This time I do a bit better, and I make it 50 seconds before stopping. I think I can run for a few seconds longer, going to give it another try at running for one minute later today. I think I'm just being lazy, and need to push myself harder. I don't want to be a bad person.

Also...what's the definition of "huffing and puffing"? I don't want to do that, and I'm out of breath after every attempt at running. Could I tie some sort of mask on to limit my breathing to avoid this?

Or do you think I should just increase the length of my walks before trying to run again? I'm sure you know more than me, but I ask because it really seems like walks are doing nothing for me. I've started practicing fencing again as well(I used to in college), and I honestly think that's done a lot more for my endurance than the walking.

So, I've been walking most days for about 50 minutes. I really don't see the point of it, honestly, as it doesn't seem to be doing anything to improve my condition or endurance. I DO stop when I'm at stoplights most days(and also jog across streets), so that might be considered "cheating", and I'm hoping that's not the reason I'm not making progress. To me it seems unlikely, since there are times when I can walk nonstop and it doesn't tire me out or make me breathe any harder.

Anyways, so I decided to try running again. Bad idea, maybe, since I haven't gotten any coaching, but I decided to give it a shot. So, I walk to the track at the local community college, and find out that it's only open to athletes. Well, I wasn't going to let that stop me. So, I set the timer on my cell phone for one minute, and started at it.

I couldn't make it 45 seconds.

So I walked the rest of the way home, started to compose this post, and decided to give it another shot on the street outside. I take off my pants and put on shorts, take my wallet out, set my phone for another minute, and start at it. This time I do a bit better, and I make it 50 seconds before stopping. I think I can run for a few seconds longer, going to give it another try at running for one minute later today. I think I'm just being lazy, and need to push myself harder. I don't want to be a bad person.

Also...what's the definition of "huffing and puffing"? I don't want to do that, and I'm out of breath after every attempt at running. Could I tie some sort of mask on to limit my breathing to avoid this?

Or do you think I should just increase the length of my walks before trying to run again? I'm sure you know more than me, but I ask because it really seems like walks are doing nothing for me. I've started practicing fencing again as well(I used to in college), and I honestly think that's done a lot more for my endurance than the walking.

Woah! Slow down there, buckaroo! Only the real pros run three times a day. Or maybe those training for ultras or something. Once or twice a day is pretty good. You're likely to get injured if you keep up that frequency of running.

Woah! Slow down there, buckaroo! Only the real pros run three times a day. Or maybe those training for ultras or something. Once or twice a day is pretty good. You're likely to get injured if you keep up that frequency of running.

Well, I can't even make it a minute without being out of breath, so I was figuring that that wasn't enough for it to be considered a "real" run.

It starts with intervals of 60 seconds jogging followed by 90 seconds walking. If that's too much for you right now, reduce it-- Try intervals of 30 seconds jogging/90 seconds walking. Jog a bit, walk a bit.

The program increases week by week so that over time you're jogging more and walking less. Adjust to your level of fitness as much as you need to; some people repeat weeks if the progression is too much for them.

It starts with intervals of 60 seconds jogging followed by 90 seconds walking. If that's too much for you right now, reduce it-- Try intervals of 30 seconds jogging/90 seconds walking. Jog a bit, walk a bit.

The program increases week by week so that over time you're jogging more and walking less. Adjust to your level of fitness as much as you need to; some people repeat weeks if the progression is too much for them.